Richard Mille Launches a 38 gram Tourbillon Split-Second Chronograph
Richard Mille likes to push the boundaries of the impossible further away. That is also why they are such a natural partner to the McLaren F1 team. Every time you think that they cannot go any faster, they do it again. The same goes for Richard Mille who achieved something utterly extraordinary. With the RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1, they have created a watch that weighs only 38 grams, strap included!
Richard Mille achieved this by using titanium and TPT carbon, but also a material new to watchmaking, Graph TPT™. For this Richard Mille joined forces with the National Graphene Institute of The University of Manchester, and North Thin Ply Technology. They put 600 layers of TPT Carbon, each layer maximum 30 microns thick, shift the orientation of the fibers by 45° per layer and impregnate it with a resin containing graphene. This makes it 200 times more durable than steel while weighing six times less!
Richard Mille doesn’t have only these new materials in the case of the RM 50-03, but also in the movement itself. Thanks to this, and significant skeletonizing of the parts, the whole movement only weighs 7 grams. Nevertheless, is this watch made to be worn in a McLaren F1 car chasing a lap record? Particular attention was paid to making the watch shock resistant, and the RM 50-03 can handle shocks up to 5.000 G.
The RM 50-03 also features a function indicator, as we have seen on other Richard Mille’s. The torque indicator helps you wind the watch to the point where the barrels provide the movement with the most optimum power, increasing the precision of the movement. The torque limiting crown prevents overwinding of the watch and therefore damaging the movement. In terms of design, there are many references to the F1 race cars of McLaren to be found in the RM 50-03, like the crown which resemblance the rims of the F1 cars, and the chronograph pushers which look similar to the air intakes. The new and revolutionary Richard Mille RM 50-03 is limited to 75 pieces.
